Food and Feeding Behaviour of Kingfishers (Family: Alcedinidae) in Selected Water Bodies in Osun State, Nigeria

Many countries are experiencing different health challenges as a result of polluted water caused by industrial pollution and contamination by agricultural run-off. Pollution also kills the fishes that kingfishers feed on thereby limiting the fish population. This study identified the species of kingfishers present around some selected water bodies (Opa, Akinrinade, Osinmo, and Osu Reservoirs) in Osun State, Nigeria. It also determined the food and feeding preferences of various species of kingfishers in the selected reservoirs. These were with a view to determine the food and feeding ecology of kingfishers in Osun State. A total of 2,215 individuals and 5 species of kingfishers were observed in the field during the sampling period. The mean comparison of the species across the sites revealed that Opa Reservoir had the highest (63.83±12.90) abundance of species, followed by Akinrinade Reservoir with (57.5±11.18) while Osu Reservoir had the lowest (11.33±6.12).The species abundance in Opa and Akinrinade Reservoirs were not significantly (p>0.05) different from each other but significantly (p<0.05) different from Osu reservoir. Also, species abundance in Osinmo and Akinrinade Reservoirs were not significantly (p>0.05) different from each other but significantly (p<0.05) different from Osu Reservoir. This study showed that kingfishers preyed on several species which comprised of insects (dragonfly, grasshopper, damselfly, butterfly, and ants), water snail and fish (tilapia, fry of tilapia, barbus).